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ERIC Number: ED503583
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 18
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Measuring Up 2008: The State Report Card on Higher Education. Arkansas
National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education
The purpose of a state report card is to provide the general public and policymakers with information to assess and improve post secondary education in each state. "Measuring Up 2008" is the fifth in a series of biennial report cards that evaluates states in six overall performance categories: (1) Preparation for post-secondary education and training; (2) Participation; (3) Affordability; (4) Completion; (5) Benefits; and (6) Learning. Respective findings for Arkansas relative to best-performing states include: (1) Arkansas has made strides in preparing young people for college, though compared with other states its performance is only fair; (2) Despite improvements, college opportunities for young and working-age adults remain poor; (3) Higher education has become less affordable for students and their families; (4) Arkansas performs fairly well in awarding certificates and degrees relative to the number of students enrolled, but few students attain a bachelor's degree in a timely manner; (5) A very small proportion of residents have a bachelor's degree, substantially weakening the state economy; and (6) Like all states, Arkansas receives an "Incomplete" in Learning because there is not sufficient data to allow meaningful state-by-state comparisons. Based on previous state performance, the percentage of young adults in Arkansas who earn a high school diploma has increased slightly since the early 1990s; college enrollment of young adults in Arkansas has improved substantially since the early 1990s; college enrollment of working-age adults, relative to the number of residents without a bachelor's degree, has increased slightly; the share of family income, even after financial aid, needed to pay for college has increased, although Arkansas is the best-performing state in the share of income needed to pay for public two-year colleges; the number of undergraduate credentials and degrees awarded in Arkansas, relative to the number of students enrolled, has remained stable since the early 1990s; and the percentage of residents who have a bachelor's degree has increased slightly. In addition to information included in the summary report, the full report includes international comparisons, state-by-state 2008 grades and key indicators, frequently-asked questions answers, and available resources. (Contains 11 figures and 9 tables.) [For National Report, see ED503494. For Arkansas state summary, see ED503508.]
National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. 152 North Third Street Suite 705, San Jose, CA 95112. Tel: 408-271-2699; Fax: 408-271-2697; e-mail: center@highereducation.org; Web site: http://www.highereducation.org/reports/reports.shtml
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: Community; Policymakers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education
Identifiers - Location: Arkansas
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: National Assessment of Educational Progress
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A